The first academy was a three-story, brick building, and stood where the present graded-school building stands. When it was built, there were still some of the old pine stumps from the original clearing remaining intact. In 1837, some of the boys piled some of the decayed parts of the old stumps against one of the larger ones, and set fire to the pile. Some of them would run and jump over the fire. One boy, Frank Hadley, lost his balance, fell into the fire, and was badly burned.

History of Ludlow, Vermont, 1949, page 62
__________________

Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!